Militants treated on Dr Asim’s order, confesses hospital official

KARACHI: Deputy Managing Director of the Ziauddin Hospital, Dr Yousuf Sattar, who is also a close aide of the PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain, on Monday confessed that terrorists, militants and Lyari gang war operatives were treated at the hospital on Dr Asim’s orders.
The witness also identified Asim Hussain in the court. In his statement, Dr Sattar said terrorists, militants from banned outfits and Lyari gang war operatives were sheltered and treated at the hospital.
He said political party-backed target killers were also given 50 percent discount.Dr Asim Hussain was produced before the judicial magistrate central where Dr Sattar recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure CrPC.
According to Dr Sattar’s statement, some political leaders used to call him for the treatment of their workers injured in clashes with law enforcers and rival groups.Some political militants were also provided refuge at the hospital, he added. The statement of the witness has been made part of investigation in the ongoing terrorism case filed against Dr Asim.
The sealed statement of the witness will be sent to an Anti-Terrorism Court.Dr Asim is accused of providing shelter and treatment to target killers and terrorists at the Ziauddin Hospital that he owns. After the 90-day remand expired, a case was launched against him with the North Nazimabad Police Station. The case involves terrorism sections.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) members have also been nominated in the case.The authorities have stated that Asim had given safe havens to terrorists on the request of MQM leaders, including Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar, Saleem Shahzad and Anees Qaimkhani.
On the other hand, PPP’s Qadir Patel used to call on Asim for treatment of gang war criminals. The anti-terrorism case states that the former president Zardari’s close confidant, Asim, had permitted stay of militants at his hospital.
The First Information Report (FIR) further accused Asim of graft as he allegedly pocketed bribes to recruit employees in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Sui Southern Gas as their administrator.
He has been accused of forwarding contracts to companies and different persons whoever offered him the highest price. Besides terror charges the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also involved Asim in a case.
The police shifted Dr Asim from Gulberg Police Station to the judicial magistrate court under tight security. Dr Asim maintained silent when the court sought his comments on the witness’s remarks.
On the other hand, MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui vowed to take the case to its conclusive end. Siddiqui was granted a four-day protective bail on submission of surety bonds worth Rs200,000.
Talking to the media, he claimed innocence and said he was wrongly nominated in the case registered with the North Nazimabad Police Station.
Meanwhile, PPP Senator Saeed Ghani, while talking to the media at the Bilawal House’s media centre, said the party had reservations about the way Dr Asim was arrested. He said whatever Dr Asim was made to say in the law-enforcers custody was yet to be taken to trial.
The party would review whatever Asim has confessed to in legal boundaries, he added. However, he said the PPP would accept the court verdict in the case as the party always respected courts.—Agencies
Zaib Azkaar Hussain adds: Former adviser on petroleum and natural resources and former federal minister and chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, Dr Asim Hussain, has confessed to have obliged his political friends in providing medical treatment to alleged injured terrorists.
Dr Asim, who was produced before the Judicial Magistrate (Central) for recording his confessional statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), confessed to have violated rules and regulations and misappropriated funds in the Sui Southern Gas Company.
Dr Asim accepted the claims made by a Joint Interrogation Team (during his detention by the Rangers for 90 days) and said that during the “operation” he had provided medical treatment to terrorists at his hospital. He added that he had provided treatment after his political friends, Rauf Siddiqui, Qadir Patel and others, had asked him to do so.
Dr Asim was also produced before the administrative judge of anti-terrorism court who extended the period of his physical remand for seven days.
He also confessed to have misappropriated funds along with Sui Southern Gas Company deputy director Shoaib Warsi and former managing director Zuhair Siddiqui and others.
It may be mentioned that Sui Southern Gas Company deputy director Shoaib Warsi and former managing director Zuhair Siddiqui and three other alleged accomplices of former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain are also facing corruption charges. They were produced before a National Accountability Bureau court on November 28 and remanded for 14 days for interrogation.